U.S. Paralympic champion sexually abused teammate, lawsuit alleges

“This case is a horrific tragedy, the place a younger man who defied all odds to develop into a world-class Paralympic swimmer had his life totally shattered by rape and abuse when he was paired with a group member who was a violent sexual predator,” the criticism states.

Griswold didn’t reply to an e-mail looking for remark Friday and has mentioned nothing publicly in regards to the allegations, which first surfaced final month on the favored swimming website SwimSwam. He was given a brief suspension by SafeSport on Aug. 23 for “allegations of misconduct” and isn’t allowed to compete whereas the case stays open.

The lawsuit costs the USOPC and SafeSport with negligence for failing to guard Egbert and for permitting Griswold shut entry to the athlete, although Griswold had confronted prior allegations of misconduct and had acquired a earlier non permanent suspension in September 2020, which was lifted earlier than the Tokyo Paralympics.

This deaf-blind Paralympian was told to navigate Tokyo alone. So she quit Team USA.

“The allegations introduced forth by the criticism filed at present are extraordinarily regarding and we take them very significantly,” a USOPC spokesman mentioned in an announcement. “We’ve made the choice to position two employees members on administrative depart and have additionally stopped the work of a number of contractors with U.S. Paralympics Swimming. We’re additionally persevering with our investigation of the allegations to assist us decide the information, and we’re dedicated to taking applicable motion.”

Representatives for U.S. Paralympics Swimming didn’t reply to messages looking for remark Friday. Emails despatched to Erin Popovich, the group’s director, and Nathan Manley, the affiliate director, acquired computerized replies with each officers saying they’re “presently away on depart.”

A spokesman for SafeSport, the five-year-old nonprofit group tasked with investigating and stopping sexual abuse in Olympic sports activities organizations, declined to touch upon the lawsuit.

A Colorado Springs Police Division spokesman confirmed to The Washington Publish final month that there was “open and lively investigation” associated to Griswold however declined to disclose any particulars. Griswold has not been charged with any crimes.

The Washington Publish typically doesn’t title victims of sexual assault, however Egbert recognized himself in Friday’s court docket submitting. Via an legal professional, Egbert and his household declined to remark additional.

“As you possibly can think about, this ordeal has been terribly troublesome for the Egbert household, in addition to the opposite victims and households which were impacted, so we ask that their privateness be revered,” attorneys Frank Salzano and Elizabeth Kramer mentioned in an announcement.

In accordance with the lawsuit, Egbert was born with autism, didn’t communicate his first phrases till he was 6 and at present “has the psychological capability of a five-year outdated.” However he confirmed promise within the swimming pool on the U.S. Paralympic trials in June 2021, the place he certified for the Tokyo Video games.

In accordance with the criticism, that’s additionally the place Griswold, a 25-year outdated swimmer who was born with cerebral palsy, befriended and commenced grooming Egbert. By time the nationwide group received to Tokyo later that summer time, Griswold was Egbert’s “de facto chaperone” in line with the lawsuit, and “was at all times seated subsequent to him on aircraft and bus rides, and was given extended unsupervised entry to [Egbert] as the 2 shared a room within the Olympic Village.” The criticism alleges the “USOPC assigned Griswold to be a supervisor of” Egbert.

Griswold abused Egbert on a number of events, in line with the criticism, and warned Egbert that he “would get in hassle” and “the police would come,” if he spoke out.

There was at the least one witness to the abuse in Tokyo, in line with the submitting. A 3rd, unnamed roommate grew to become so enraged by what he noticed, that athlete punched a wall and was later reprimanded by group officers for his outburst, the lawsuit states.

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Griswold, a two-time Paralympian from Freehold, N.J., received two gold medals and broke a world report in Tokyo, and the criticism alleges he’d develop into an influential determine within the U.S. Paralympic world. The lawsuit states that Griswold urged U.S. Olympic and Paralympic officers to increase an invitation to Egbert to stay and prepare on the U.S. Olympic Coaching Middle in Colorado Springs.

The 2 athletes have been once more paired collectively as roommates, the lawsuit states, and the abuse continued.

“On at the least one event, Griswold raped Plaintiff so viciously that Plaintiff misplaced bowel management. To this present day Plaintiff continues to endure from persistent and excruciating rectal ache, for which surgical procedure and persevering with medical consideration is required,” the criticism states.

In accordance with the submitting, Egbert stopped showering and commenced writing tales “as a way of escape,” together with the story of “Spookley and the Hurricane,” a couple of group of mates who battled a robust monster referred to as “Hurricane Robert.” His mother and father reached out to USOPC officers when Egbert first revealed the abuse allegations, the criticism states, “however the USOPC failed to analyze the difficulty and summarily and dismissively advised Plaintiff’s mother and father that Plaintiff was simply tremendous, and that Griswold posed completely no danger to Plaintiff.”

The lawsuit alleges the USOPC and SafeSport protected Griswold, who “was a premier swimmer, and since Griswold’s household was deeply embedded with leaders all through the U.S. Paralympic swimming neighborhood.”

The criticism gives no particulars about Griswold’s earlier suspension however says the USOPC and SafeSport ignored crimson flags and former complaints earlier than inserting Egbert in a harmful state of affairs with little to no oversight.

“Griswold’s bodily, verbal, and sexual abuse occurred largely due to the acts and omissions of USOPC and SafeSport,” the criticism states.

In August, the USOPC suspended Griswold from the coaching middle and eliminated him as a member of the nationwide group, and SafeSport issued its non permanent suspension. One week earlier, in line with social media posts, Griswold married his fiance in a Florida seaside ceremony.

Egbert’s mother and father traveled to Colorado Springs that week and took their son dwelling to Iowa. In accordance with the criticism, the younger swimmer “needed to make the troublesome resolution to depart behind his lifelong dream.”

“Since his return dwelling, [Egbert] has repeatedly advised his mother and father ‘thanks for saving me from’ Griswold,” the lawsuit states, “nevertheless, to this present day, [Egbert] stays fearful that Griswold ‘is aware of the place they stay’ and ‘goes to kill [him].’”